LAHORE: With a view to develop a deep and strong core ahead of an exciting and challenging season, as many as 13 spinners and 11 fast bowlers will undergo specialized men’s camps at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore this month.

About 14 batters will also be involved in the two camps that will run from June 10 to 15 (for spinners) and June 16 to 21 (for fast bowlers). The men’s national selection committee has invited players from the Pakistan men’s, Shaheens and U19 sides and they will train under the guidance of national team’s and NCA’s coaches.

These camps will help the selectors in jotting the best possible squad for Pakistan’s two-Test series in Sri Lanka in July, which will be national side’s first assignment in the third cycle of the World Test Championship.

Separate camps for spin and fast bowlers will help the bowlers to bowl longer spells in specially tailored sessions that along with enhancing their skill level will test their fitness under tough weather conditions. Similarly, the batters will get to bat for extended periods, a requisite for the upcoming tour, a PCB spokesman, said.

Having players from across the rungs together will also help in inculcating The Pakistan Way in the upcoming players, so they are aware of the expectations of the national side as they continue their journey. This will also help the youngsters to benefit from the experience of the senior side’s players.

The players who have been granted No-Objection Certificates to participate in County cricket or other leagues will continue to feature in them. Mohammad Nawaz (rehabilitation for finger injury), Sarfaraz Ahmed (personal commitments), Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan (both are traveling for Hajj) have been exempted from the camp.

The invited players are: Spinners – Abrar Ahmed, Ali Asfand, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Mohammad Junaid, Mehran Mumtaz, Mubasir Khan, Noman Ali, Qasim Akram, Sajid Khan, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usama Mir and Zahid Mehmood; Fast bowlers - Aamir Jamal, Arshad Iqbal, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Naseem Shah and Shahnawaz Dahani; Batters – Abdullah Shafique, Haris Sohail, Haseebullah, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Huraira, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Tayyab Tahir.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023